Here is the latest on several free agent situations around the league:
- While not technically a free agent, Masahiro Tanaka can still be signed by any club that is also willing to pay his $20MM posting fee. Reports out of Japan indicate that the Yankees and Dodgers are the favorites to land the 25-year-old righty, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times, with Tanaka's wife reportedly interested in landing on the West Coast. The Angels are also said to be among the top suitors for Tanaka's services, says MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (referencing a recent report from Japanese outlet Sports Hochi).
- The Orioles, Twins, and Yankees recently asked for medicals on righty Ervin Santana, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. (Links to Twitter.) New York appears only to be performing due diligence, says Rosenthal, who notes that Santana's flyball tendencies make him a poor fit at Yankee Stadium. Meanwhile, the Twins seem unlikely to add another free agent starter, Rosenthal adds.
- There are at least five clubs that "have been in on" infielder/DH Mark Reynolds, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The teams include the Nationals, Rangers, Twins, Orioles, and Yankees.
- Right-handed starter Scott Baker has several minor league offers in hand but is holding out for a guaranteed MLB deal, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. The Twins have not been interested in a reunion thus far, Wolfson adds.
- Another former Twin who spent time with the Cubs last year, right-handed reliever Matt Guerrier, is set to throw off of a mound on Friday as he rehabs from an elbow injury suffered late last year, Wolfson tweets. Minnesota is interested in potentially bringing him back, according to Wolfson.
“with Tanaka’s wife reportedly interested in landing on the West Coast.”
we all know that whatever the wife wants the wife gets…..
Just ask Cliff Lee
and Johnny Damon when his wife wanted to live in Chicago and he chose the Tigers instead.
Those cities are not that far apart to make a big difference.
in this case, it is for her career in Entertainment. so, there is a good chance it happens
Because there’s no entertainment industry in New York City?
Or why don’t you ask CC Sabathia who wanted to be on the West Coast as well.
McCourt owned the Dodgers at the time , but people forget. Otherwise the money/determination would have equal to the Yankees offer and CC would have been a Dodger.
Hmmm. Had no idea the Dodgers had interest. Thought it came down to Giants (who offered a good amount as well) or the Yankees. I’ll take your word for it though
Its whatever the Yankees want, they get
Correction: the yankees have wanted a players and have seen them go elsewhere (Cano,Choo) but they haven’t been out of desperation like they are for Tanaka. Just for clarification.
Cano only wanted the money, Yankees were smart on not resigning him. He’ll be way overpriced in acouple years and not worth it.
Choo and boras felt they could get more money so that’s why they said no. But they were wrong and actually ended up signing a lower deal.
I think boras evaluated the risk and still ended up getting the better deal. TX has no state tax so I think he’s getting paid more than had he signed with NY
And they were smart to sign Ellsbury? The Yankees signed him for about $40 million too much because they could see they weren’t keeping Cano.
No. He ended up getting more money with Texas because taxes are cheaper there.
I never got the sense that the Yankees really wanted Choo. It was more that they were just doing their due diligence.
It seems like everyday a new team is being “eliminated” from being Tanaka suitors. But I wonder how accurate these reports are.
Very accurate.
How do you know? These are the same reporters who claimed Tanaka wouldn’t be posted.
Santana should end up with the Royals. I hope the Yanks realize Santana is a horrible pickup for them. Santana needs the Royals for their defense and park size and the Royals need him. Get it done!
I think they do realize it, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
I think tanaka is going to sign in the Korean league
Huh?
Not sure why the Yankees are considered so into this. They need rotation help, but they’ve bombed on Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, A.J. Burnett, etc. Do they really need to outbid the Cubs or Dodgers for a prospect?
Have you looked at the other available options in free agency?
True, he is by far the best pitching talent in free agency. Just saying I doubt whoever wins the bidding war will get a very good deal. Tanaka isn’t on the same level as Darvish.
I agree but desperate times call for desperate measures
How do you know? He’s a prospect. The same argument against him can be made for him. By all reports he’s better than Dice-K but doesn’t have as much talent as Darvish with a side factor being he’s said to be very intelligent like Kuroda.
Igawa was a soft tosser and i’m not sure how Pavano or Burnett play into this. Because the Yankees have had a FA starter bomb, they wouldn’t be so into a new one? What about Sabathia’s first contract? Or Kuroda?
Yankees have a lot of money left to spend, Tanaka is said to love the bright lights, the Yankees need a middle of the rotation arm with upside (a profile Tanaka should fit) and they don’t want to give up another pick. It’s a perfect match.
Winning a world series with the Cubs would be the biggest light he ever experienced, and the Dodgers also have prestige. The Yanks should go for it, but it will be an overpay and possible bust.
Agreed. The Yankees will likely have to outbid the Dodgers by $10-$15 mil in overall contract value to get him.
This I agree with, but mainly in the event the west coast preferences are true. LA can offer him similar endorsement opportunities and if I’m not mistaken, I think taxes are near equal.
He looks like he’s going to get paid like an ace, and he’d be the ace on the Yankees staff. But I think Tanaka is more likely to be advised that the Dodgers and Angels have more upside as a franchise over the next five years.
Oakland baby. They have scouted him and talked to his agent. Beane loves foreign players and he out bid all others for Cespedes. Oakland is a playoff contender unlike NY. Don’t be schocked seeing him in Oakland.
I’d never doubt Beane, but he’s not the one writing the cheques, and it’s hard to imagine him talking his owner into committing nine figures to anyone. While you’re point is taken on Cespedes, when you take into account the posting fee, Tanaka will cost over three times what Cespedes did….I just don’t see it.
Oh yeah, the Angels? Based on what? Their aging superstars or no playoff appearances anytime recently? Or the fact they too have two legitimate contenders, one of which is among the youngest and a team up and coming with deep pockets? You want to argue the Dodgers, who have also done nothing except lose the NLCS, sure, but the Angels? Please. He will be advised whoever offers him the best contract is his best option because all three play in major markets with deep pockets and the Yankees have a history of contending, with just about every season risks of injury and aging.
Perhaps based on they have the best all around player in basball for the next four years. As for aging superstars, Pujols (34), Hamilton (33) and Weaver (32) are younger than Texeira (34), Beltran (37), Sabathia (34).
Yeah and they aren’t performing like it. Beltran was signed this off season because he’s still performing at a decent level. Sabathia had one off year and Tex was hurt. Pujols and Hamilton, albeit are exposed to injury as well but have also been in steady decline since going there.
And that doesn’t even take into account the state of the rest of the team, the payroll abilities or the previous records in recent history, nor franchise history overall.
Don’t forget the Dodgers were just as bad as the Angels were until June. The Angels’ 2013 was a fluke. Any team that loses their ace for 2 months and has an historically bad season out of another starting pitcher (Blanton) is going to be pulled way down. I doubt they suffer either again in 2014. And the Angels also plowed through the final 2 months of their schedule after finally dropping Blanton from their rotation. I said all season long that removing Blanton from their rotation was the key to turning it around. They just did it about 2 months too late. They made all the improvements they were looking for this offseason, and are in line to sign one more starting pitcher. Based on their current roster and depth charts, Tanaka (and even just signing Garza) would likely bring them back to being possible World Series contenders.
Which is fine to believe, but at the end of the day the Angels have still proven absolutely nothing, even after a giant spending spree, resigning their ace and signing Hamilton. They didn’t prove they can’t get over the hump they proved they have yet to even clinch a playoff spot and that’s with two years of Trout. So excuse me if dropping their fifth starter and beating up on cupcakes down the stretch doesn’t make me feel like they are a superior franchise to the Yankees, who also made a few minor signings this offseason to improve the team.
For both of our sakes, I hope the Angels sign Garza and for Trout’s sake, I hope they do win the west this year.
The additions are Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran, Roberts, Johnson and Thornton.
The subtractions are Cano, Granderson, Pettitte, Rivera, Logan.
I’m unconvinced that this team is better, until Teixeira and Jeter prove that they are the players they used to be. Teixeira, maybe. Jeter’s defied the odds before, but it’s hard to see him being a stud after how badly he fractured his ankle at the age of 38.
And if the Yankees aren’t better, it’s hard to see them being particularly different from the Angels as of this moment.
I could see the Angels contending, but they need a lot to go right. Pujols has to at least return to his 2012 version. Hamilton obviously has to, you know, not be a .250-21-79 player over a full season. But it’s more about the pitching for the Angels. Weaver is showing some signs of decline due to diminished velocity. Their #2, Wilson, is more like a #2. Richards would ideally be a back-end guy, and they are counting on him. I liked the trade that got them Santiago/Skaggs, but they desperately need another starter so that they aren’t counting on basically 3 youngsters in their rotation. I don’t see them as realistic players for Tanaka, but I think Garza or Jimenez make a lot of sense for them.
His family prefers the west coast. He goes to the Bronx, and he gets to play with Jacoby Ellsbury as the team’s most exciting player, and a bunch of old guys. He goes to the Dodgers, he gets to play with Yasiel Puig, Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp. He goes to the Angels, he gets to play with Mike Trout. Don’t dismiss the Angels too quickly…Pujols and Hamilton aren’t great contracts, but they have a better chance of coming back strong than Jeter and Teixeira.
And Brian Mccann just doesn’t count? CC doesn’t have a better chance coming back strong than any of those guys? Carlos Beltran isn’t a HOFer and signed for three years?
For the west coast aspect, like I agreed in your other post, I do think the Yankees probably have to top the Dodgers’ deal by a number of millions. They did it with CC the first time around and they will do it again with Tanaka, but he gets to play with Hanley and Matt Kemp when they are on the field and I highly doubt he cares about Yasiel Puig as whether or not he joins a franchise.
None of those factors are any reason to take one team over the other, it will come down to money and comfort. But if you try to play the “winning” or “better chance at ____” cards, it’s patently false, the Yankees just had a string of 17 out of 18 years in the playoffs (18 out of 19 had the strike not happened). They don’t all of a sudden become a dead in the water franchise with 200 million dollar pockets because they only won 85 games in the hardest division in baseball one season.
My point, which I explained poorly, is that the Yankees don’t have the personnel that would lead a player to choose above the LA teams – a winning pedigree is impressive to be sure, but it would be silly to say that the Bronx is the most desirable location to play, with the A-Rod saga, a nearly done Jeter, and a good but old nucleus. He’s going to sign for a period of years, naturally, and I can’t imagine that the chance to play with some of the more exciting young players in the game – for at least the next four years – wouldn’t be a factor in his decision. As for CC – he’s at a crossroads, with lost velocity and a frame that is going to be hard to withstand injury – especially at his age and with the wear and tear on his arm. Add to that – his wife would prefer the west coast, and as we’ve both agreed, it’s going to take a lot of money above either LA team’s bid to land him. And with the rumor mill suggesting that the Dodgers won’t be outbid – I don’t particularly feel the Yankees are the frontrunner in the Tanaka sweepstakes.
The A-Rod saga is a done saga. The nucleus is now: Ellsbury. McCann, Tex and Beltran. Which is still old, but not so old someone would be like “hmm, here’s a 200 million dollar payroll team in the number one media market in the world where my endorsements would be sky high and I am known to be a personality thriving the big lights, but these guys are in their early to mid 30’s, so I won’t come here. Instead, I’ll go to the Angels, who have not won the WS in more than a decade and despite two spending sprees, still didn’t make the playoffs, or the Dodgers who doubled their payroll and still didn’t make the WS”
CC is 6’7″ and has lost weight. I think he will actually age pretty well. He’s going to have to learn to be a pitcher who has a FB in the low 90’s and use his other two plus pitches more, he already admits it which is the first thing competitors need to come to terms with.
The Dodgers have Puig and the Angels have Trout, that’s exactly one exciting young player. But Tanaka can come and get guidance, at least in year one, from both Kuroda and Jeter in NY. Neither of us really know what he would value more.
Look, my point isn’t that nobody else can get Tanaka (I do think it will be either the Dodgers or Yankees with the Angels having just as little chance as everyone not part of those two teams), it’s that pointing to a 2nd year player or a guy who hasn’t even played a full season, or pointing to those two franchises and saying they have a step up on the Yankees because of one player on each team who has a bright future, is silly. Just as silly as trying to claim either one of those franchises might be a perennial contender the next five years and the Yankees won’t when nothing points to those indications.
The west coast thing is the only legitimate chip the Dodgers have that the Yankees don’t and for that it will cost the Yankees more money, but an extra five million in the offer and his wife could fly back and forth all season long if she wanted to.
Well, we’ll see where he goes, and you’re right, nobody knows what’s in his head. One thing is certain – the Yankees need him a heck of a lot more than the Dodgers do. It’s impossible to know what his real value is, but one thing is certain – if the Yankees and Dodgers get into a bidding war, whoever gets him is likely to pay him a LOT more than he’s worth. And I’m not terribly sure that would be a good thing for the Yankees, with them having $120 mil already committed to 6 players for the next three seasons.
They do need him more than the Dodgers which is why, ultimately I think he ends up in NY. I think he goes to NY for 120 million and he is probably worth about 80-90. The Dodgers will probably go to 100 million and the Yankees will get him for an extra 20 million.
If I had to guess, that’s how I see it playing out.
I don’t think the Yankees will care if they have seven players signed for 140 million though, the same way the Dodgers likely don’t care they have 130 million tied into eight players the next three years and likely 160 million in nine players if they end up with Kershaw and not Tanaka.
Nice double standards. You say he shouldn’t join the Angels because of their declining superstars yet you expect the Yankees declining superstars to just bounce back.
Except that’s not what I said. I said thinking Tanaka should join the Angels because they’re on the same level as the Yankees is silly. The Angels haven’t made the playoffs in five years, nor have they finished better than the Yankees. Last season, the Yankees finished seven games better in a tougher division. The Angels lost Weaver, the Yankees lost half its starting lineup, had no Soriano and CC had a down year. That doesn’t take into account the offseason.
So my point is, Hamilton and Pujols may very well bounce back, but even if every superstar on either team did, the Yankees would benefit more. Even if you compare last season, the Yankees win. Even if you look at payroll outlook after this season, Yankees win. Even if you only look at this winter, the Yankees improved more and even if you only look at past history, the Yankees win.
That’s my point.
Well after this year Jeter is a FA, and Teix only has a couple years left on his contract. The Angels have Hamilton and Pujols for years to come.
I wouldnt consider that a bad thing, It’s hard to imagine, considering the career Pujols has had or the obstacles Hamilton has overcome, that they won’t show some pride in the remainder of their contracts. And if they do, along with the presence of Mike Trout, the team is a force again. It’s rather premature to consider them also rans.
Well Hamilton and Pujols are only getting older. Hamilton has alot of questions when he was a FA, alot of people said he would start to breakdown early from drug abuse and alcohol which is why he was forced to sign a short term deal. Pujols switched leagues so e may adjust this year, but he’s only getting older so don’t expect him to have awesome years toward the end of that massive contract.
Moreover – it’s kinda funny for a Yankees fan to refer to ANY other franchise as having “aging superstars”. The Yankees lead the universe in that category. No projected starters under 30, four are at least 36. The only two starters that they have that have ever pitched 200 innings are 33 and 39. Tex is 34, Kelly Johnson 33. And two of their best younger components – Gardner and Robertson – are FA’s after the season. The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades….uh, not.
Dodgers, yes. Angels, no.
Dodgers, yes. Angels, no.
Matt Garza would do them some good. Bronson Arroyo still has a couple years left in him. They could also load up on interchangeable options like Capuano and Tillman, both of whom can be flip flopped between their rotation and bullpen if needed.
Arroyo gives up too many homers and Garza is inconsistent. Those two would be number 4 starters while Tanaka is projected to be a number 2-3
Garza would be a 3 in that rotation and a good one at that. Sabathia-Kuroda-Garza-Nova-Pineda/Phelps/Warren/Nuno. I think you are expecting too much from Tanaka if you expect him to be a 2 in his first year. A 3 is very possible but then Garza is less of a risk.
Andy Messersmith gave up too many HR’s and was still a dominant ace.
Arroyo is still better than most at his age at preventing baserunners. He keeps his WHIP below 1.30 most of the time (league average is 1.32).
Garza is not inconsistent. His ERA with the Rangers was ballooned because of one terrible start in Tampa down the stretch. He had a 3.56 ERA in 7 home starts with the Rangers, and that’s tough to do.
Garza’s entire career has been spent pitching in hostile environments (hitters parks and the AL East), and his career numbers hold up pretty well. If he went to a pitcher friendly environment, like the Angels, those numbers likely become skewed to ace-status. Much like Jered Weaver’s numbers are often skewed toward flat out Sandy Koufax-like dominance at the Big A.
The Yankees would benefit from both options.
Tanaka would have to be the co-ace in the Bronx, and maybe THE ace if CC’s struggles from last year prove to be the start of a decline, rather than an aberration.
Wow, opinion discarded.
A.J. Burnett wasn’t a bomb in his first season in the Bronx–he’s a big part of the reason they won the World Series in 2009.
dodgers have a few pitchers ready within the next 2 years not sure why we wud sign tanaka. unless haren gets traded mid season only way i see it happening
The Dodgers are in the business of winning a World Series as soon as possible. Yeah, they want to build their farm system, but signing Tanaka won’t cost them any prospects. The bottom line is that if the Dodgers feel that Tanaka can truly be a difference-making, top-of-the-rotation type of pitcher, they will try to sign him. They don’t care that they already have 2 such starters. They would gladly take a third. They have so much money it’s crazy, and when you think of the McCourt years, where the payroll was about $100MM too low for the last couple of years, the new owners are just making up for lost time.
I understand what you mean but lets say zach lee has a breakout year and we sign tanaka for 2014. what are we gonna do with him then ? like i said i only see this happening is if they plan to trade haren but then why sign him in the first place ?
btw u give up 15MM and a roster spot for tanaka. and idk about u but our 40M roster seems a bit stretched out
Zach Lee simply would spend one more year of minor league seasoning. And if he’s really throwing well, perhaps he can be a bullpen piece during the stretch run and playoffs. There is also the chance he could make starts this season if there were an injury. And then next year, you install him as your fifth starter.
For some weird reason I see the halos signing him. Going up against darvis in the al west would be great to see angels/ rangers….. Darvis vs tanaka its just to good of a fit. Arte has money and is willimg to spend when its worth it.. Idk maybe its just me
It’s just you.
Well it seems to be him aswell cause their in the mix to land him so ur wrong
The Angels need Tanaka more than most. The Yankees and perhaps the Mariners and Cubs are the only high market teams that actually need him and can afford him at the same time. The Dodgers don’t need him at all.
I can see it happening just as much as I can see him going to the Yankees.
If the Halos sign Tanaka, they can kiss Trout goodbye.
how do you know that ? hes not a free agent till 2017 and they have alot of money coming off the books with weaver cj and wells so no i doubt they cant get him and sign trout next year
Trout is going to be asking for more money than Pujols easily, and if the Angels are going to be minus Weaver (their ace) and C.J. (the number two pitcher) then I also think their bigger issue at that point would be rotation help, even if they still have Tanaka at the time (assuming he is not a bust, and is not costing them over 20 million a season, and not been traded for anything.)
I’m so glad some of the fans on this thread are not working for Major League Baseball teams. It’s corrupt enough. Talk about putting the cherry on top…
I think CC’s wife also preferred the West Coast as well and now she loves New York. If it was really about simply living it up on the west, then I doubt the Yankees would be suitors right now. Between the Dodgers and Angels, he wouldn’t be short on big money teams. The fact the Yankees are still there means it’s “a goal not a mandate” lol.
CC grew up in California so he wanted to go west as well, the biggest difference however is that the Yankees were pretty much the only big money team in on CC at the time. With the Dodgers and Angels willing to spend this time around there are more options at the same price.
My point is more along the lines of, when the dollars come…preferences change. If the Yankees decide to get really silly with the money, then I suspect that might not be such a deterrent and might even be a negotiating ploy to get even more money out of the Yankees. Close is pretty sharp considering the guys he represents, so he will get the most amount of money at any team Tanaka is willing to go to. It’s probably going to hit the 7/$140MM and I wouldn’t be shocked to see 8 years. Crazy, I know.
If it goes that big, the Yankees are silly to sign him. They need depth more than anything, and they can get two quality FA starters for that kind of money. And the Yankees need two starters, and they need a pile of bullpen depth too. Buying the biggest names isn’t always what you need, and the Yankees postseason thus far looks like evidence of that.
This signing, at least from my perspective, doesn’t necessarily mean 2014 solely. This is a 2014+ discussion simply because we do not have the pitching prospects to call upon that could be the level of this talent. While Tanaka is unproven, there is no doubt he would be better than anything we have to call up. Pineda is a wildcard, but hardly a sure bet. This isn’t a “sign big stars” discussion, this is a “make up for our poor farm system” discussion.
Everything the Yankees are doing, like their international spending plans, are to infuse youth quickly and through money…lots and lots of money. About the only method they could use at this point.
Im not convinced they’ve made wise long-term choices. Ellsbury for 7 years was unwise; he’s a gap hitter with speed, and the speed isn’t likely to be elite a lot longer. The deepest part of the Yankees farm system is catcher, and they sign a catcher for 5 years. The biggest lineup needs they had were at second and third, and they sign two outfielders. They need a minimum of two starters and two relievers, and the only pitcher signed thus far is an elderly middle reliever that the Red Sox left off their postseason roster. They really don’t look much different in this offseason than the last….
None of the starters left on the open market are fits, neither in consistency or pitch ability. Garza could be, but he is also an injury concern.
I’m not going to get in how the Yankees look this year vs last year because it’s a silly argument. If you had told me the team last year would have won 85 or so games I would have laughed. So I wouldn’t be surprised if this team won another 85 games or overachieved and won 96 games. The offseason hardly ever dictates the seasons outcome. It’s fun though to watch the team make big signings.
Overachieving is tough without depth. The signings are nice, but losing Cano is pretty much the equivalent of Ellsbury/Beltran – because it’s going to send Ichiro (a marginal hitter but elite fielder) out of the lineup. Jeter might have a good season at the bat, but with that ankle reducing his range even further, it makes him an outright liability at short. And stockpiling fringe players at second and third – when shortstop is just as iffy – is a VERY alarming sign. Add to that – Pettitte/Rivera/Logan all gone from a staff whose bullpen wore down from overuse in September, and 85 wins would look like an overachievement.
I guess we just agree to disagree. But then again, I wouldn’t expect many to root for the Yankees :)
As a Sox fan, we suffer the same fate. Good luck this year though. The best times are when both franchises are strong and on a collision course for the ALCS!!
By the time Gary Sanchez (or whoever else but Sanchez is the best of the bunch) is ready to take over as full time starting catcher, Mark Teixiera’s contract will be over and Brian McCann might be pushed to first. It won’t be a big issue.
Except for the fact Brian McCann has never played an inning in his entire career at any place but catcher. Not ONE inning. The bigger hope is that the Yankees have built a younger core by then and McCann can DH…but my point is. they went and bought the best player. not necessarily filling the shopping list. This is what Steinbrenner did in the mid-80s to early-90s. And we saw how that turned out.
No, if they went shopping for the best player with a George Steinbrenner “damn the price” type mentality, Robinson Cano would still be in Pinstripes, for 10 years, years 7-10, we’d probably regret. After a season of Chris Stewart as a “starting” catcher, an actual starting catcher WAS damn near the top, if not AT the top, of the shopping list.
But a starting catcher WAS at the top of the off-season shopping list. The Yankees didn’t have a starting catcher last season–they (and their fans) suffered through a season of back-up catchers masquerading as starting catchers. If they have gone on a George Steinbrenner-like “sign the top guy at any price” binge, Robinson Cano would still be a Yankee, on a new, 10 year, $225 million contract that fans would be loathing in years 7-10.
But all that’s really happened is that one problem has been traded for another. The starting catcher (who has missed 135 games the last three years, btw) might be landed, but now second base is a black hole, with a 36 year old guy who hasn’t started more than 60 games in the field in 4 years. Ellsbury’s missed 260 games the last 4 years. And it’s hard to imagine that you’re going to be thrilled with what you’re paying either Ellsbury or McCann 4 years from now. Maybe you will. History says you’re just getting more injury issues.
The Yankees will look to spot McCann by starting Francisco Cervelli at catcher against some lefties. It won’t be a straight platoon but Cerveilli has hit lefties well in his career. McCann will also get some starts at DH and yes, first, which he has said he would be open to learning so that should help keep him healthy. I also would like to add that the times that Jacoby Ellsbury has missed big chunks of times, it’s been injuries that resulted from running into his corner outfielders. History suggests this isn’t a guy who’s going to miss time due to annual quad and groin strains. The Yankees just have to find a second baseman for one season out of Brian Roberts, Kelly Johnson and Dean Anna. After the 2014 season, Rickie Weeks, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jed Lowrie and Hanley Ramirez all have a shot at reaching free agency. They all have their problems but they probably/might be better than what they have this season.
I think my contention is that they haven’t addressed their three biggest problems…starting pitching, bullpen depth, and their farm system. Making the qualifying offers seemed smart, but they gave all of their first round picks away, meaning that farm system is still pencil-thin. Losing Rivera and Logan and only having Thornton so far as a replacement means the bullpen is much thinner; losing Pettitte and Phil (say what you like about him, he produced innings at times) also harmed the starting pitching depth. It’s hard to imagine, in the process of adjusting to MLB, that Tanaka would be a lot better than Pettitte was in his first season in MLB.
They’ve had the luxury of not addressing the starting pitching depart (apart from bringing back Hiroki Kuroda) because no one has touched those big names yet because everyone is waiting to see what Tanaka will do. Ideally, Tanaka will be a Yankee but if he’s not, Garza/Jimenez/Santana/Arroyo will still be out there to be signed. I don’t think there’s really anyone they’ve missed out on–Mike Pelfrey? Phil Hughes? Jason Vargas? I’ve very uncomfortable with the fact that they’ve passed on those guys.
As for the bullpen, we’ll see what happens. Grant Balfour would be a nice fit, as he’s both set-upped and closed. There are very, very few solid relievers from year-to-year.
As for the farm system, these guys lost the two guys who were probably their best pitching prospects (Manny Banuelos, Ty Hensley) to injuries for all of last season. If those guys can come back, build up the arm strength and the first round picks from this past year (Eric Jagielo, Ian Clarkin and Aaron Judge) progress as they should, I think the farm system could look a lot better than people think of it right now. Maybe not “top 10” good but better than a lot of fans seem to be giving them credit right now.
The Angels were in on CC. And as far as I know the Yankees outbid themselves to keep Sabathia from going to the Angels. In a dose of irony, the two teams met in the ALCS that year, and in hindsight one could argue that the Yankees getting Texeira and/or CC is what decided which of the two was going to the World Series.
I could argue that Brian Fuentes being the Angels’ closer and a juiced-up A-Rod hitting a crucial game-tying homer off him was the pivotal play of the series, but hey, I’ve been wrong before!
His wife is a singer who has career reasons for wanting to be near LA. It is a different situation
Oh I absolutely understand that. She is a big Japanese pop idol/singer and staying close to the West coast makes perfect sense for her career. My point was more so that I doubt the Yankees would be considered if there wasn’t some wiggle room there. Even if they were just thrown in there to drive up the price, why not throw more teams in there like the Cubs and Red Sox?
Frank McCourt owned the Dodgers at the time. That should explain why Yankees got CC
If Guggenheim had owned the Dodgers during that time, I think the Dodgers would have had a much better chance of getting Sabathia.
McCourt was basically using the Dodgers as his personal credit card at that time and was not really financing high payrolls for the Dodgers.
Yes, I’m biased. But I’ve felt from the first that the Angels would sign Tanaka. The FA debacles of the past two years have smudged Moreno’s reputation. Everyone knows that the team is a good SP away from contending again in the AL West. And Tanaka, though a risk, is a young guy who fits what they are looking for perfectly.
Signing Tanaka would be the perfect supplement to the Trumbo trade and the Angels have the money to do it.
As a Dodger’s fan, I wouldn’t mind seeing Tanaka going to the Angels. Would make the Freeway series even more interesting.
For me, the big question about Tanaka going to the Dodgers is the risk factor. Do they NEED to take this kind of a risk for a starter?
Smudging Moreno’s reputation is a bit of a stretch. There was a lot of bad luck that happened in 2012, with Haren and CJ developing injuries and Santana having the worst year of his career. Had none of that occurred, the Angels would’ve made the playoffs in ’12; would’ve likely kept Haren and Santana (or one of the two); and would’ve been a much better team in ’13. And they’d likely be finished for the offseason already. Their problems are mostly on the pitching end. And their need for a SP like Tanaka is greater than most, especially among teams that can afford to sign him. So I can see them signing Tanaka as much as I can see him going to the Yankees. Then again, NY wants to stay under the luxury tax as well. But the Angels, Dodgers, and Yankees alike will all go over the threshold if they sign Tanaka. Or are the Dodgers already over the limit?
Everybody knows hes coming to the dodgers. Someone give me a good reason why he wouldn’t other than the money not being there which it is.
That not being the ace is not a good reason.
Its gonna be fun seein them lock up kershaw and hanley if they get tanaka cause their going to cost a good amout aka kershaw
Theyre already having trouble locking up Kershaw as it is.
After signing Tanaka they will have an even better relationship with Kershaws agent it might even help.
I tend to agree. As long as the Dodgers match the Yankees’ bid (which I think will not be an issue for them), then Tanaka should end up a Dodger.
My guess is Tanaka’s probably got it down to like 5 teams right now, but it will go down to the wire for the winner so we are still about a week and a half out.
Tanaka and his wife could easily afford both a Manhattan loft and a LA hillside mansion. As others have stated, I’m hoping the wife’s coastal preference leak is a leverage ploy to drive the price up on the Yankees. Even if his heart is already in LA or Anaheim, a huge Yankee offer can only help his financial prospects. And even then, maybe the tactic works too well and the Yanks offer is too much to pass on.
I’d like to think the Yankees still have a near coin-flip chance in this race.
The Yankees could drive up the price for the Dodgers then on that same logic.
I know there not listed here, but this makes me think the dbacks have a legimate chance of signing him. Granted we cant pay out the bucks dodgers and yanks are going to offer, but we have some bargining chips out on the table, A; he would be / have the chance to be the ace on the team. Dbacks have a decent shot at competing next season. (assuming kt doesnt further deplete the farm system. Although were not all the way on the west coast we are fairly close. If the angels are serious about trying to sign him I think it will come down to them and us (just my opinion) and before all you haters out there start we signed Randy Johnson and a few others. We havent been known to sign big / expensive players but i wouldnt count us out just yet.
Why can’t he just buy a house in la and pitch elsewhere? Its not that big of a deal, Kuroda does it. It really won’t matter if his house is near where he plays since he will be flying most of the time.
maybe you should call him and find out for everyone if that might be possible since you think thats his best option
Well obviously money won’t be an issue, and I could absolutely see him going to the Yanks. But I think the problem with what you said is that he’s going to be flying, his wife isn’t, and she’s the one that cares. From a money standpoint, it’s not a huge deal, but being separated from your spouse like that for the majority of the year is a big issue for some people. Like you said, Kuroda does it, but maybe Tanaka doesn’t really want to do it. Who knows, the only way we’ll find out is when he actually signs.